Q&A With Organic Beauty Brands
True Moringa
True Moringa makes natural lips whip, scrubs, oils, butters, and toners that are super moisturizing and made with antioxidant-rich moringa oil to minimize scars, soothes complexions, and reduces signs of aging. True Moringa was founded by Kwame Williams and Emily Cunningham, who met as students in Boston. I asked Emily few questions and here is what I learned about this beautiful brand that has a big social impact. Check their products here!
Me: What inspired you to create True Moringa?
Emily Cunningham: My co-founder Kwami and I first learned about the moringa tree when we traveled to Ghana through MIT’s D-Lab program. NGOs encouraged farmers to plant the tree for nutritional benefits. Gram for gram, the leaves of the tree contain more iron than spinach, more protein than yogurt, and more calcium than milk. But, farmers weren’t cultivating the tree because they had no economic incentive to do so - no access to market. So we took the unused part of the tree - the seeds - back to our labs at MIT and figured out how to cold-press them into a deeply moisturizing oil that outperforms argan, jojoba, and shea. Today, we work with over 3000 small farming families throughout Ghana, and we’ve planted over two million moringa trees to prevent deforestation and malnutrition.
Me: What is your guided mission? What inspires you every day to do more with True Moringa?
Emily Cunningham: We’re inspired by our community of farmers and the success they have had growing moringa and by our community of natural beauty lovers who tell us every day how moringa has revolutionized their hair or skincare routine - making it simpler and making them feel more confident in their own skin.
Me: Your customers are doing more than purchasing effective natural beauty products; they are contributing to the economical well being of the 3,000 small farming families you work with. How do you choose these farming families? Do you work through NGOs to find these families? Do you meet with them?
Emily Cunningham: In the early stages, we went by bus around the entire country, talking with different communities, farmer groups, and Peace Corps volunteers about growing moringa. Usually there were a few early adopters in these communities who would start to cultivate moringa or collect seeds from their household trees. Once people saw we were serious about paying for their moringa, and that we consistently came back to work with the same communities, interest continued to grow. Today we have over 100 employees along our supply chain including field officers who work directly with farmers to ensure they have the tools and training to grow moringa well.
Me: One of the main focus of True Moringa is treating its supply chain with dignity with a focus on fair trade. Can you tell us more about it?
What is your next step?
Emily Cunningham: So often, commodities like cocoa and coffee and are exported from developing countries and processed and packaged in the western world. We’re trying to shift that paradigm by adding value locally in Ghana and creating 100 non-farm jobs along our supply chain.
Me: What is your best skin care tip?
Emily Cunningham: Get plenty of sleep, keep hydrated, and stick to a simple skincare routine. My skincare routine consists of washing with warm water and finishing with a mix of a gentle aloe-based toner and a few drops of moringa oil.
Me: What advice would you give to your younger self, if you could?
Emily Cunningham: Community is key! Surround yourself with people who have been where you want to go.
FreeGirl Skin Care
Freegirl Skin Care is just amazing. They uses only natural, organic, plant-based, wild-crafted ingredients that are MADE SAFE® certified to be non-toxic. They formulate skin care solution for skin care types like mature skin, sun damaged skin, rosacea, and more....It was so great chatting with Jamie Hedman, the Founder of Freegirl Skin Care; here is what I have learned about Freegirl Skin Care.
Me: What inspired you to create Freegirl Skin Care?
Jamie Hedman: Freegirl Skin Care was created with more than Skin Care in mind. To our core, we are about helping women on their complete wellness journey...mind, body and spirit. As part of this journey, we are here to bring awareness and educate women of the harmful chemicals lurking in personal care products and, of course, to offer MADE SAFE Certified, non-toxic skin care products. I want to see women care about and love themselves completely, because it is from this place that we are willing to make changes to improve our lives and our health. As part of our Freegirl mission, we give a portion of every product sold to help young women recover from human trafficking.
Me: What is your guided mission? What inspires you every day to do more with Freegirl Skin Care?
Jamie Hedman: My guided mission is simple...to help women understand how important it is to choose non-toxic personal care products for their bodies. I’ve created Freegirl Skin Care to offer MADE SAFE certified, non-toxic skincare products. What inspires me daily is not only offering women safe skincare products, but also about our greater mission of serving women suffering from the awful epidemic of sex trafficking. As I met Dedee Lhamon, founder of The Covering House, a home dedicated to helping girls who have been rescued from a life of sex-trafficking, I realized we had a much greater purpose at Freegirl. Freegirl is more than just, “setting your skin free”. It’s about setting these sweet girls free as well. Early on in our business, I met with the Covering House staff and built every facet of our business around helping to support their rescue and healing. They’ve experienced unimaginable pain and distress and I want to do anything I can to help them and educate others about this overwhelming need. Every time orders are packaged and shipped to our faithful customers, we know the impact it’s having. This is not about Freegirl giving back, however, but about each and every customer being a part of this mission.
Me: I read that Freegirl Skin Care does not compromise on the quality of its ingredients. How do you source your ingredients?
Jamie Hedman: Freegirl products are plant based, made with organic and wild crafted ingredients. Freegirl products are biodegradable, botanically-based herbal formulas comprised of food grade ingredients, cruelty free, gluten free, non-GMO and synthetic free. We’re committed to using only the finest raw materials – never bleached or processed, conserving all of their nourishing vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and beautiful natural colors. The ingredients and their sourcing are certified by Made Safe to ensure that they are non-toxic. As we expand our product line, we will work hard make sure all of our products and ingredients are Made Safe certified.
Me: As part of your social impact, you support the fight against domestic sexual trafficking. Domestic Sexual trafficking is rampant, but it is an issue that does not get a lot of attention. Why did you choose to support this cause? How can we help support the cause?
Jamie Hedman: You’re right. It is rampant and more prevalent than people know. However, the level of attention is rapidly increasing. In the past three years, we’ve seen dramatic increases in awareness and rescues. Groups like A21, Open Gate International, 27 Million, Strike Out Slavery, and Operation Underground Railroad, among others, are all working hard on this mission. In fact, the current administration under President Trump, along with a bipartisan coalition from both sides of the aisle, have signed multiple layers of legislation to help stop this modern-day slavery. Arrests and rescues have skyrocketed in the past two years, but there are still millions in slavery in 2019, if you can possibly imagine.
While the arrests and rescues are going up, we have a gaping hole in the recovery process. There are simply not enough homes, beds, and recovery centers for these girls. As you might imagine, it isn’t a quick healing process. It takes months, and even years in some cases, to begin to acclimate back into society with the tools, emotionally, physically, and mentally to cope. We have a lot of work to do and we are honored to work alongside heroes like Dedee Lhamon who have dedicated their lives to this mission.
Support for this cause can come in many forms. Of course, using Freegirl will help these causes, but I encourage everyone to go out and learn more about The Covering House. There also may be homes in your local area that you can support. A small amount of research will turn up many opportunities to get involved. We are truly grateful to anyone who takes the time. It will quickly go from head knowledge to your heart and, like us, you’ll want to do anything you can, as big or as small as it might be, to help. In fact, I appreciate you asking more about Freegirl and our cause, as its your voice and your blog that can help spread the word.
Me: You partner with The Covering House in your fight against domestic sexual trafficking. How do you partner with them? Does a portion of your profits support The Covering House? How do your customers support the The Covering House by shopping Freegirl Skin Care products?
Jamie Hedman: We partner with The Covering House by directly giving to their organization. I have met with the Covering House founder Dedee Lhamon and share their passion. They do the heavy daily lifting, of course, and their greatest need is monetary, at this point. It’s our desire to help raise awareness and provide financial support.
As a newer company, we didn’t want to wait until we had sales before we started to give. My husband and I committed to a funding level each month while the business was in development, with the intention to increase this as we launched, and sales increased. We wanted them to know we were truly in this with them, even before launch. As the sales grow, we increase the monthly commitment. The Covering House is better able to plan around their upcoming expenses and their fiscal year based upon set commitments, so we intend to work with them in the way that best suits them. Thanks to the early adopters of our Freegirl products, we’ve been able to do so. We have a long way to go and look forward to seeing where this leads for Freegirl, our customers and, most importantly, the girls being loved and cared for at The Covering House.
Me: Self-care and wellness are at the core of Freegirl Skin Care and your journey. What advice would you give to your younger self about self-care? How should women think about self-care and wellness?
Jamie Hedman: I once heard that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today. I think this applies to me, now, because, like so many of us, there are things we would like to do over, but “today” is always the best day to start.
Given the opportunity, I would inform my younger self of the staggering amount of chemicals found in our food, our water, and our personal care products, as well as the damaging effects they can have on my life. I would also encourage my younger self to do my own research because we simply can’t rely on government agencies to tell us what is and isn’t healthy, unfortunately.
Self-care and wellness, at their core, come from a place of truly loving ourselves enough to pursue good health and protect our bodies from these harmful chemicals, not just in personal care products, but in all areas of our life. The reality is, if we are at our best, it will reflect in our attitude, our energy, and our willingness to embrace life and those around us.
Me: What inspired you to create Freegirl Skin Care?
Jamie Hedman: Freegirl Skin Care was created with more than Skin Care in mind. To our core, we are about helping women on their complete wellness journey...mind, body and spirit. As part of this journey, we are here to bring awareness and educate women of the harmful chemicals lurking in personal care products and, of course, to offer MADE SAFE Certified, non-toxic skin care products. I want to see women care about and love themselves completely, because it is from this place that we are willing to make changes to improve our lives and our health. As part of our Freegirl mission, we give a portion of every product sold to help young women recover from human trafficking.
Me: What is your guided mission? What inspires you every day to do more with Freegirl Skin Care?
Jamie Hedman: My guided mission is simple...to help women understand how important it is to choose non-toxic personal care products for their bodies. I’ve created Freegirl Skin Care to offer MADE SAFE certified, non-toxic skincare products. What inspires me daily is not only offering women safe skincare products, but also about our greater mission of serving women suffering from the awful epidemic of sex trafficking. As I met Dedee Lhamon, founder of The Covering House, a home dedicated to helping girls who have been rescued from a life of sex-trafficking, I realized we had a much greater purpose at Freegirl. Freegirl is more than just, “setting your skin free”. It’s about setting these sweet girls free as well. Early on in our business, I met with the Covering House staff and built every facet of our business around helping to support their rescue and healing. They’ve experienced unimaginable pain and distress and I want to do anything I can to help them and educate others about this overwhelming need. Every time orders are packaged and shipped to our faithful customers, we know the impact it’s having. This is not about Freegirl giving back, however, but about each and every customer being a part of this mission.
Me: I read that Freegirl Skin Care does not compromise on the quality of its ingredients. How do you source your ingredients?
Jamie Hedman: Freegirl products are plant based, made with organic and wild crafted ingredients. Freegirl products are biodegradable, botanically-based herbal formulas comprised of food grade ingredients, cruelty free, gluten free, non-GMO and synthetic free. We’re committed to using only the finest raw materials – never bleached or processed, conserving all of their nourishing vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and beautiful natural colors. The ingredients and their sourcing are certified by Made Safe to ensure that they are non-toxic. As we expand our product line, we will work hard make sure all of our products and ingredients are Made Safe certified.
Me: As part of your social impact, you support the fight against domestic sexual trafficking. Domestic Sexual trafficking is rampant, but it is an issue that does not get a lot of attention. Why did you choose to support this cause? How can we help support the cause?
Jamie Hedman: You’re right. It is rampant and more prevalent than people know. However, the level of attention is rapidly increasing. In the past three years, we’ve seen dramatic increases in awareness and rescues. Groups like A21, Open Gate International, 27 Million, Strike Out Slavery, and Operation Underground Railroad, among others, are all working hard on this mission. In fact, the current administration under President Trump, along with a bipartisan coalition from both sides of the aisle, have signed multiple layers of legislation to help stop this modern-day slavery. Arrests and rescues have skyrocketed in the past two years, but there are still millions in slavery in 2019, if you can possibly imagine.
While the arrests and rescues are going up, we have a gaping hole in the recovery process. There are simply not enough homes, beds, and recovery centers for these girls. As you might imagine, it isn’t a quick healing process. It takes months, and even years in some cases, to begin to acclimate back into society with the tools, emotionally, physically, and mentally to cope. We have a lot of work to do and we are honored to work alongside heroes like Dedee Lhamon who have dedicated their lives to this mission.
Support for this cause can come in many forms. Of course, using Freegirl will help these causes, but I encourage everyone to go out and learn more about The Covering House. There also may be homes in your local area that you can support. A small amount of research will turn up many opportunities to get involved. We are truly grateful to anyone who takes the time. It will quickly go from head knowledge to your heart and, like us, you’ll want to do anything you can, as big or as small as it might be, to help. In fact, I appreciate you asking more about Freegirl and our cause, as its your voice and your blog that can help spread the word.
Me: You partner with The Covering House in your fight against domestic sexual trafficking. How do you partner with them? Does a portion of your profits support The Covering House? How do your customers support the The Covering House by shopping Freegirl Skin Care products?
Jamie Hedman: We partner with The Covering House by directly giving to their organization. I have met with the Covering House founder Dedee Lhamon and share their passion. They do the heavy daily lifting, of course, and their greatest need is monetary, at this point. It’s our desire to help raise awareness and provide financial support.
As a newer company, we didn’t want to wait until we had sales before we started to give. My husband and I committed to a funding level each month while the business was in development, with the intention to increase this as we launched, and sales increased. We wanted them to know we were truly in this with them, even before launch. As the sales grow, we increase the monthly commitment. The Covering House is better able to plan around their upcoming expenses and their fiscal year based upon set commitments, so we intend to work with them in the way that best suits them. Thanks to the early adopters of our Freegirl products, we’ve been able to do so. We have a long way to go and look forward to seeing where this leads for Freegirl, our customers and, most importantly, the girls being loved and cared for at The Covering House.
Me: Self-care and wellness are at the core of Freegirl Skin Care and your journey. What advice would you give to your younger self about self-care? How should women think about self-care and wellness?
Jamie Hedman: I once heard that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today. I think this applies to me, now, because, like so many of us, there are things we would like to do over, but “today” is always the best day to start.
Given the opportunity, I would inform my younger self of the staggering amount of chemicals found in our food, our water, and our personal care products, as well as the damaging effects they can have on my life. I would also encourage my younger self to do my own research because we simply can’t rely on government agencies to tell us what is and isn’t healthy, unfortunately.
Self-care and wellness, at their core, come from a place of truly loving ourselves enough to pursue good health and protect our bodies from these harmful chemicals, not just in personal care products, but in all areas of our life. The reality is, if we are at our best, it will reflect in our attitude, our energy, and our willingness to embrace life and those around us.
HAN Skin Care
HAN Skincare Cosmetics NEVER uses FD&C, toxic chemicals, Lakes or Carmine (from beetles!) to color their cosmetics. In their cosmetics line you can find natural concealers, eyeshadows, lip tints, and more to have a great makeup look. All their natural cosmetics pigments are derived from plant and vegetable pigments and natural minerals. I also love that all their natural cosmetics have a great price tag and are accessible. Shop for HAN Skincare Cosmetics here!
Me: What inspired you to create HAN Skincare Cosmetics?
Susan Wong: It was my pregnancy that led to me doing more research on the ingredients and learning how what I was applying in and on my body could potentially affect the health of my baby. I was trying to find safer and healthier cosmetics at reasonable prices, but back then, there weren’t a lot of options. The ones that were available usually came with a hefty price tag. I felt like something was missing in the marketplace, which is why I ended up founding HAN.
Me: What is your guided mission? What inspires you every day to do more with HAN Skincare Cosmetics?
Susan Wong: I would say the mission we have on our website is pretty much our guided mission. First, to promote healthier and higher-integrity cosmetics at reasonable prices. The reasonable prices are to make it more accessible to more people. Recently, we also added promoting advocacy and education to our mission, so that people are more aware and can make better-informed purchasing decisions. It’s our mission to deliver on those goals and also satisfy our customers.
Me: As part of your social impact, you choose to partner with Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP). How did that partnership come about? How do you partner with BCPP? Does a percentage of your profit go to BCPP?
Susan Wong: Our partnership with BCPP came about because we felt that, after 3 years in business, we wanted to take the step to engage more with the bigger picture of cosmetics - from the impact of dangerous synthetic ingredients on our health to the regulations that have made it possible for harmful ingredients to end up on our store shelves. Our partnership started last October, which was also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when we donated a portion of that month’s proceeds to the organization. We also try to promote BCPP’s initiatives to push safer cosmetics legislation through at the federal and state level and educate our audiences and customers about that legislation.
Me: I love the "Give Back to HAN" program. Could you share more about it?
Susan Wong: “Give Back to HAN” is our recycling program in conjunction with Terracycle, which is a great organization that takes recycled products and turns them into useful products and gifts, like benches and office supplies. We offer one free eyeshadow or lip gloss in exchange for 7 full-size HAN containers. Our customers care a lot about their health and the environment, so “Give Back to HAN” is our way of making it easier for customers to recycle their products and to reduce the impact of our products on the environment.
Me: What challenges did you encounter when you were establishing HAN Skincare and Cosmetics? How did you overcome them?
Susan Wong: In the beginning the biggest challenge was spreading myself too thin - I was working full-time, was a new mother, and working on HAN Skincare Cosmetics after I put my then baby to sleep. It was draining physically and mentally and I realized it wasn’t sustainable so I knew something had to give. Shortly after I officially launched HAN I made what was a very tough decision then to leave my secure job and take a chance at building my business, which would have been much more challenging or perhaps unrealistic with less than my full dedication.
Me: What are the makeup products you cannot do without? Why?
Susan Wong: There are a few. Our Cheek and Lip Tint, because it’s versatile and multitasking and gives me a quick and easy way to add color on the go, and Concealer to help even out the skin tone and help brighten the eye area so it looks like you get more sleep than you actually do.
Green Tidings
Green Tidings is such an amazing green beauty brand; They one of the most popular natural deodorants on the market; more than 7,000 give their deodorants 4 star reviews on Amazon, but this green beauty brand is so much more. I recently fell in love with their Velvet Blend Oil; I wrote a review about it here. This oil is so nourishing for my skin. Read about it here -
The Story behind Green Tidings
As a lifelong resident of Southern California, Jenny Benford has always been passionate about holistic health and the environment. Jenny lost her sister to cancer when she was 19 years old, which changed her life forever. She studied natural health and nutrition as a means of preventative health. She became her circle's "expert" in natural remedies.
When she became pregnant with her first child, she realized how important it was to not only eat clean, but to use clean body products, too. With a background in law and excellent research skills, she put those skills to work, identifying the ingredients in skin care products that are safe and effective, and those that are not.
She then decided to create a deodorant that was safe enough for her then-nursing body and baby, plant-based, free of aluminum, chemicals, and toxins, while still being effective.
Jenny is continually expanding the Green Tidings product line, most recently with cold-pressed oils and lip balms. She also enjoys painting, writing, gardening, reading, listening to music, travelling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two small children.
Me: What is your guided mission? What inspires you every day to do more with Green Tidings?
Jenny Benford: The mission of Green Tidings is to be 100% transparent with our labelling, ingredients, and sourcing. Labelling laws are often lax and allow for companies to use vague terms like “essential oil blend,” and still allow artificial fragrance or fillers or other chemicals to be included in it. I also want to know what is IN every single ingredient I use- that means chemical stabilizers, fillers, preservatives, etc., and I share not only every additive (which is not a lot since we use pure, uncut oils and butters), but also the source, for example we always source Fair Trade and sustainably grown ingredients. And, of course, it is important that our products are vegan and certified cruelty-free!
Me: What challenges did you encounter when you were creating the line? How did you overcome them?
Jenny Benford: It is definitely challenging to find people in the manufacturing process who share our vision and strict ingredient requirements! Sourcing ingredients can also be a bit challenging, as we want data sheets and sourcing documentation for every single ingredient used. We are not required to do this, but it is the ethics and integrity of my company to be honest and truly “green.”
Me: What advice would you give to your younger self, if you could?
Jenny Benford: Read ingredients, both in food and in anything you put on your body, because both are absorbed one way or another. Find something you love to do and figure out how to make a living doing it. Sometimes life’s greatest mistakes or setbacks end up paving the way for our greatest successes.
Me: Green Tidings deodorants are praised in the green beauty community. Did you start with making a natural deodorant? Why a natural deodorant?
Jenny Benford: Deodorant is something that we all use daily, and is so easily absorbed by the delicate underarm tissue. People who shave their armpits may even hasten the absorption of chemicals. It has been proven that parabens are hormone disruptors, and can spur the growth of breast cancer cells. Aluminum has long been associated with cancer and other diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
When women and men (yes, men!) who have breast cancer have lymph nodes from their armpits removed, they’re often filled with parabens and aluminum, which may have contributed to, or caused, their cancer. A tricky marketing tactic many people are not aware of is crystal deodorants- they’re made almost entirely of aluminum. Deodorant is often the first, and many times only, body care product used, and can easily be swapped out with one that is paraben-free and aluminum-free, and ours is not only both, but lasts for up to 48 hours!
Me: Green Tidings goes beyond making sure we use safe natural beauty products; Your products are made in a solar-powered facility and you are committed to providing meaningful employment to people with disabilities. Why these commitments?
Jenny Benford: I feel that the footprint of a product is impactful and important to the story of that product. To know that the face serum you are using contains ingredients that are sustainably-sourced, Fair Trade, and pure without additives is just the end of its story. The beginning is the fact that all its components- from tubes to labels to brochures to packaging- are made the USA (where we have stricter standards of component additives, like lead), it’s manufactured locally, where we have FDA and GMP conditions, in a solar-powered facility (there is a LOT of energy that goes into manufacturing a product, so having it be totally powered by solar really offsets its carbon footprint), and it’s packaged by adults with disabilities who are being trained to be a productive member of the job force. There is a lot of work that goes into one little bottle, and I want to make sure that every single aspect of its production is thoughtful and has integrity.
|